The other day when I spoke to Mark Murphy, the Packers president said he has not personally spoken to Brett Favre about returning to Green Bay for a number-retirement ceremony.

But Murphy wants it to happen within the next couple of years. And it is going to happen. So fill up the comments section with all the anti-Favre smack you want, but my hunch is it's going to happen by 2014.

Of course, it can't happen unless Favre wants it to happen. And you can bet No. 4 wants it to happen for all the right reasons, as well as for the way he could cash in and get the attention he craves. And let's face it, he's not getting a lot of attention now.

You can tell he's missing the spotight because he's starting to give interviews again. He talked at length recently about the current state of NFL quarterbacking. He had some nice things to say about Tony Romo, the local guy who catches a lot of grief in Dallas for his inconsistent play and sometimes for his off-the-field life.

I don't want to call this a "healing process" on Favre's part, because he pretty much instigated the mess in 2008, when the Packers told him they were going to start Aaron Rodgers that season. They said he could be No. 2 or retire, and then the fireworks began. I'm not sure if he's ever going to apologize for being a clown by flying in to defy and upstage the franchise during the inter-squad scrimmage, but he's finally starting to mend a few fences in the best way he knows how.

Believe it or not, he's starting to pay Rodgers what looks to be sincere compliments. Favre never had anything to publicly say, period, about Rodgers when they were teammates, except for that time when Favre said it wasn't his job to take Rodgers under his wing. An aging Favre felt threated by Rodgers' presence, and his worst fears played out in early '08 when Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson gave him the news that Rodgers was now the guy.

Four years later, Favre is finally ready to recognize Rodgers' skills. I agree with NFL blogger John Katzowitz in this piece that there is nothing back-handed about Favre's compliments.

But I'd take it one step further. I think Favre is finally beginning the process of reaching out to the Packers after one of ugliest high-profile divorces in pro-sports history. Favre knows it's for his own good because he realizes what being re-associated with a world-class brand like the Green Bay Packers could do for him. He needs the Packers more than the Packers need him, but wasn't that the lesson that was taken away from the awful split? No one is bigger than the Packers, not even Favre. That said, there is a Green Bay-Favre legacy that must be recognized and eventually celebrated.

And to me, he never has to apologize for signing with the Vikings, because just about anyone in his position would have done that. Set aside for a moment that the Vikings are the hated rival - and, of course, he wanted to stick it to Thompson - but the Vikings were a play or so away from the Super Bowl that year.

I just want to hear Favre apologize for his behavior during that divisive summer of '08, while Rodgers sensibly kept his mouth shut. Rodgers has always been the good guy in this episode, and he quietly got his revenge by winning the MVP.

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." - Nikola Tesla

Only things Favre has going for him over Rodgers is pure longevity, memories, and his personality and passion. Although I might take out those last two because Rodgers has both, just a different kind. If Rodgers keeps down the path he's been going, he will surpass Favre in every way (although not the consecutive starts streak). That's not all on Favre, because Rodgers has some sick weapons... But you can't argue that Rodgers just doesn't make the mistakes that Favre did.

Perhaps best in a new thread, but could you enlighten us on how Curley Lambeau was treated?

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." - Nikola Tesla

Didn't Lambeau leave GB to coach the Bears or something like that? Not sure if that is it, but i know it was something that Lambeau did that didn't exactly make him "loved" at the time.

I kind of hope Favre is treated like Curly Howard....."whoo whoo whoooo!" LOL![grin1]

That was Curly Lambeau, not Curley Lambeau. [grin1] [duh] [grin1]

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." - Nikola Tesla

While I do have a 17+ grade level vocabulary, I can't spell most of it. Without spellcheck, my posts would be unintelligible.

Touche, however, I figured any Packers fan would spell one of the founders of the Packers properly. :)

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." - Nikola Tesla

What is good enough for the founder of the team is good enough for the guy who betrayed it.

It's kind of weird how some of us really took Favre playing for the Vikings as a betrayel and others viewed it as business. The Packers winning the Super Bowl kind of took the sting out of Brett going to the Vikings, but I don't know that it was enough.

Maybe they should let the current players that played with Brett make the decision when his "Ring of Honor" day occurs - and by current players, I mean Aaron Rodgers.

I tend to take all this "Favre reaching out to the Packers"/"Packers reaching out to Favre" with a really large dose of salt.

This may show Favre reaching out to Rodgers a bit, but I don't think it should be taken as any sort of indicator that he is mellowing with regard to the Packer non-player leadership, which, in the end, is what has to happen.

After all, Favre's hurt feelings/tantrum/petulance/whatever-you-think-it-was back in 2008 were never pointed at Rodgers. Right or wrong, his issues were with Ted Thompson and MM. In his eyes, they, not Rodgers, were the ones treating him wrong.

If Favre is trying to improve his relationship with Rodgers, its really for a different reason. It's not going to be because "we both hurt each other and its time to bury the hatchet" (which it'll have to be with TT/MM). It's going to be because "I didn't do right by you back then." I can see someone looking back and saying, "gee, I really was an asshole to this one guy, wasn't I?" a lot sooner than he says, "I still think the other guy was an asshole, but so was I, but it's time to forgive each other, isn't it?"

Or is that just me?

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

I'm still failing to understand this media driven rift between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Shortly after the Giants beat the Packers, Rodgers was over at Favre's house for dinner. Months later, Brett on his own brings up Rodgers and how talented he is and how the Packers are in good hands, etc ... mind you, this was at Brett's retirement conference ... which is solely about HIM and he selflessly brings up a guy who he has a rift with?

Favre is pissed at Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy for different reasons. Thompson because he doesn't feel he did enough to get the players he wanted, although Favre said during training camp of '07 that was the most talented team he's been on. McCarthy because he chose Rodgers over him during that long six hour meeting around Family Night.

The only thing I can see as a rift between them would be the new boyfriend syndrome. Where you broke up with a girl, you're okay with it, but then you see her hanging out with another guy, a friend of yours and you get pissed because you realized you shouldn't have let her go in the first place. So your friend is now the new boyfriend and that sparks some sort of rift.

I think Rodgers should take a pic of his Super Bowl MVP trophy and send it to Favre with the text "Hey gunslinger, I showed you mine, now show me yours". ;-)

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." - Nikola Tesla

It's kind of weird how some of us really took Favre playing for the Vikings as a betrayel and others viewed it as business. The Packers winning the Super Bowl kind of took the sting out of Brett going to the Vikings, but I don't know that it was enough.

Maybe they should let the current players that played with Brett make the decision when his "Ring of Honor" day occurs - and by current players, I mean Aaron Rodgers.

I find it more offensive that he tried to force the team to release him by dropping an unplanned 12 mil on the cap and more importantly put them over the roster limit after drafting 2 QBs. All after he insisted they move on without him. The fake retirement and fake comeback are more offensive than going to the Vikings.

I also find it more of a betrayal that he went to the Lions and "other teams" to decode his playbook. Since the Vikings had already admitted they were in talks with Favre at the time, it isn't much of a speculation to figure he spent even more time helping out the Vikings. Since teams was plural, I would speculate that the Bears would be included in that.

I really don't care that he went to the Vikings. It kind of cracked me up. I was betting he would choke at the end of the year like he did for us. I even warned people that it would happen, but they just called me bitter and envious.

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